Sila Warrington
Sila Warrington (b. 16 May, 2009) is a young magical person and student at Hogwarts. :"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow." (('OOC Note:' The following is not to be used in any IC (In-Character) way unless otherwise allowed by the character themselves. Meta-gaming is not tolerated)) 'Introductory notes:' Sila is currently a seventh year Hufflepuff student at Hogwarts. Standing just above 5 foot tall, they are just barely taller than many younger students. They are currently a Prefect for their third year in a row and were the Quidditch Team Seeker for four years in a row. A flying accident over the summer after their 6th year has kept them 'grounded', though only one other person has been told about it yet. They did not continue Quidditch for their last year. Biography: Personality, Quirks and Appearance: On the surface, Sila has actually seemingly opened up a little compared to their first year. They are methodical, intelligent, and creative. Generally reserved though, they keep to themselves with anything personal and tend to withdraw in. They're what someone would call an “introverted extrovert”. Being around people, especially large groups, is exhausting and overwhelming - but they generally enjoy another person’s company most of the time. Often they put others needs in front of their own and is a frequent go-to when housemates or friends need someone to vent to, despite finding sympathy a hard concept to grasp. Beneath the surface though, one sees a guarded teen with way too much anxiety for one small body to hold, with an ever-racing, sometimes-dissociated mind that struggles to cope effectively. They constantly face the struggle of trying to balance things in their life, and constantly have a “Go go go” mode until they crash. In an attempt to avoid dealing with their own stressors, they bury themselves in their studies and hyper-focuses on what they *are* good at. That’s mostly Divination - in specific, Tarot cards. They also tend to go out of their way to try and help anyone who has shown they need it - that is, until they overwhelm themselves with it so much that they forget to take care of their own needs. If you get them talking about tarot cards or Divinations, there is a very good chance that you’ll have a rambling teenager on your hands, a know-it-all who doesn’t know when to stop until they have to stop for air. Sila's ability to recall facts or detail out abstract theories leave them excelling in theory-based classes. Some even wonder why they aren't in more advanced classes. They're brilliant, but struggle to fit in with those of their age or younger, and prefers the company of a select few students and Professors. Their biggest downfall is how they often fall short with practical/applied magic, struggling to focus enough. However, they refuse to give up and will try repeatedly to the point of exhaustion. This is most notably seen with transfiguration work, as they have been working on getting better with Charms. They fall prone to illness or injury often and is seen resisting potions left and right, shrugging off people and telling them to stop trying as they "don't work" for them. Small injuries get ignored, shrugged off as if they're nothing important. They never sit or stand still and are always seen fidgeting with one thing or another. Whether it's hair, sleeves, or one of the various necklaces they wear - their hands are always kept busy. The badger’s body language tends to be limited- They do not gesture very much, or 'talk with their hands'. Something that only a few people ever seem to notice is how incredibly rare direct eye contact is- if you look close you can see that their gaze never quite meets another's and instead seems to stare slightly past them. As a young child, Sila always had a nagging feeling in the back of their mind that they had already seen when something happened- a feeling that was similar to what muggles would often call 'deja vu'. As the child grew older, these feelings shifted into vivid dreams, even nightmares of things to come. But it wasn't until they took a trip into the depths of the Dark Forest in their first year at Hogwarts did those dreams turn into something more. Affected by the magic, perhaps? Or simply just coincidence, the badger had a true prophetic vision for the first time in their life. It was the real beginning of their ‘’gift’’- the rare ability to See. Appearance: Sila is short and thin for their age, with an androgynous outwards appearance. Their chest is hidden and bound to give a flat-chested appearance at all times, pale blonde hair is often worn short and messy. These days, an undercut half-head shaved hairstyle is most often worn to give even more of a boyish appearance. Sila is agender - which means that they do not necessarily identify as a boy, or a girl, or anything else. Unlike their friend Sadde Woods, who is genderfluid! Occasionally they prefer to use or be called with “they/them” pronouns but isn’t strict about it. Just don’t call them Miss or Ma’am, or a lady, woman, etc.. Professors are given the exemption because of formalities, but overall just using their first or last name alone is preferred. If an honorific is insisted upon, Sila has started becoming more accepting of "Mx" in place of 'Miss'. It's the gender-neutral form pronounced 'Miks". Sila’s eyes are generally a striking ice blue which gains a cloudy, distanced look when they're struggling to stay in the 'present' with their ability. When ill or overly stressed their eyes seem to pale to a more silvery blue instead - not a physical change in colour, just a perceived one. Generally, Sila always tries to wear baggy clothing, sticking to hoodies, sweaters or vests with jeans or cargo pants when not in uniform. Sila's pale arms have various scars along them. There are some various scars on the tops of their forearms that are hard to distinguish between possible self-harm or from past abuse. But the most noticeable ones are some deep claw scars across both arms that never healed, easily seen when short sleeves are worn unless gloves are covering them. 'Anxieties / Sensitivities' Sila is extremely sensitive to loud noises, drastic changes in people’s emotional states, and chaos. They also very heavily dislikes being touched - even by friends. Hugs are generally off limits unless they initiate it first, or you're very close to them and have an exception. Their clothes have to be just right, softened and folded in just a certain way, worn in the same way every time. They are a creature of habit and sticks to routine as much as is possible. But if you overwhelm them, they will shut down and struggle to function at all for a period of time until it's passed. They are very much an empath - if you’re upset, it will affect them as well, though they struggle to understand sympathy. Sila has huge trust issues, and is terrified of being abandoned by people once they care for them. They will go to great lengths to keep people from being disappointed in them. 'Early Life' 'Ages 0-9' Despite being born into a pureblood extremist family, Sila and their twin sister Mickayla lived a very secluded and withdrawn life when it came to anything involving magic. Having lived through the first and second Wizarding wars and Voldemort's rise and fall, their mother had enough of the chaos and moved to live among the peaceful ways of Muggles - much to the disapproval of her extended family. There was no convincing her. As usual, she was set in her ways and had made up her mind long ago. With her magical status hidden from all, a few years passed as she settled in and met the man who would be the eventual father to the twins. Believed to be marrying a muggle, her entire family broke all contact completely that day- leaving the twins with no contact to their magical roots. In the middle of May the twins were born, healthy as ever- though Sila was always the smaller, more fragile one of the two. Things were smooth and calm for a while, but their mother's secret couldn’t stay hidden for much longer. As the twins grew older, weird things started to happen around them; occasionally lights flickered during tantrums, or small objects would soar around the room. Falls that should naturally harm the toddlers seemed to have no lasting effect on them. It was then that their mother knew - the twins were magical as well, and there would be no way to keep it hidden from their father for much longer. He didn't take it as well as she hoped. Seemingly in disbelief, he began to lash out each time the word 'magic' was ever mentioned. Each time something abnormal happened, he raised his voice, stormed out of the room, or neglected to help their mother with the twins. Sila was the shy one who tried to get out of his way during his rages- but that merely made Sila the target of his frustrations instead. Soon he got physical. Late one evening 4-year-old Sila was alone after an earlier crying fit had made one of the lamp bulbs explode, shattering around them and leaving some marks on their arms. On his last straw, he stormed over to Sila and picked them up. With a shove he pinned them against the wall, pressing his forearm against their neck. Tears clung to the corners of their eyes- but they knew they couldn't show him they were scared. Showing you were sad or scared only made him threaten more. Even as a child they had to keep their emotions under control. Even the slightest slip up could cause more magic to accidentally happen- and it wasn't good when anything like that happened around him. "You really shouldn’t be so trusting," he sneered in their face. "The world is a dangerous place. You'll learn soon enough," The abuse and the jealousy went on for the next 4 years, until one night when he knew they were going to end up getting a letter to Hogwarts. They were only about 8 or 9, but he just knew they would follow the same footsteps as his brothers. He took it out on Sila again, with a rage they hadn't seen since the day it all started. The next night he was gone without a word, with nothing but a single phrase written on a piece of paper for their mother. It was then she learned that he was not a muggle- rather, he was a squib who had grown jaded, developing a hatred for everything and anything magical. Blind jealousy and fear controlled him. Their mother moved the kids to a small town in Appleby, England which bordered the wizarding world and the muggle world both. She never gave the kids a real explanation on why their dad left, even as they moved to be completely alone. Age 9-11 Around the time they were just about to turn 10, Sila and a little friend learned the hard way what dangers the forests around them could hold. Gone exploring late one night during a full moon, they followed a path deeper into the forest until the sound of angered growls and snarls were heard. Within seconds the little friend they were with was snatched up in the jaw of a werewolf. In instinct Sila tried to reach out and grab him back, only to get charged at by another wolf. Sharp talons dug into their skin until they managed to kick and flail enough to be dropped, where they ran to the first place they could crawl under - a hollowed hole inside a tree trunk. From there Sila was unable to be reached by either wolf, but also unable to save their friend as the two killed the boy. It was a secret they would be unable to tell, or remember for some time. Their mind reached its limits of what it was capable of holding, and fragmented itself as its only defense to the trauma. Their mother and sister never quite figured out just what happened that night- only that from then on, the Sila they both knew had changed. Gone was the adventure-loving kid without a sense of fear, instead replaced by a kid so sensitive that even the smallest things would make them break down in tears. Two years passed- two difficult, long and painful years of never quite knowing why full moons made them so scared and anxious, never realizing that they had changed at all. Between the abuse in their recent past and now this, they dissociated- their personality partially split in defense. The innocent child learned to fear everything and everyone around them. From then on that entire night was but a faint memory that replayed in their dreams every so often, waking them up with a face full of tears and a heart racing so fast it hurt. Sila's 11th birthday came around, as did their invitation letter to Hogwarts. Without a moment's hesitation, the twins were sent off with supplies to their first day of wizarding school. Education at Hogwarts Year 1 The first day of Hogwarts came all too soon. Unprepared and without a clue what to expect, Sila sat upon the stool as the Sorting Hat was placed upon their head. It felt like forever as the hat argued with itself. "You could be great in Ravenclaw- wits beyond measure, a careful mind..." /I'm not that smart../ They'd argue back, interrupting the hat. Minutes passed, though it felt like an eternity before the hat piped up again. "A loyal heart, patience and loyalty beyond all else... Right, what do I know...? Only been around about a thousand years. If you say so, then it shall be Hufflepuff!" The first of their family to be sorted in Hufflepuff, the little kid shyly joined the table of badgers alongside their twin sister. So began Sila's first year at the magical school. Their first few weeks were spent wandering the halls alone, getting pushed into broom closets by the moving stairs and generally trying to learn their way around the castle. Classes were tough, and they hadn't yet spoken a word to anyone; most assumed they were unable to speak and never bothered them about it. No one spoke to the kid, in fact, it seemed most didn't even notice they were there to begin with. Sila was essentially invisible as the badger kept to themself whenever they could. Sila's twin sister spent most of her time ditching classes and hanging in the Owlery, having found an obsession with owls and wanting to be with them. At some point in the year, Sila discovered that they were a Seer and kept it a closely guarded secret. Many times over the badger tried to contact the then-divinations Professor, only to get the cold shoulder and then find out she had disappeared. Sila's only friends Wulf and Alice kept trying to support them, but there was no point. That’s when Zyggy stepped in. The new Divinations Professor honed in on Sila immediately and began to mentor them, teaching the badger control of this scary, new ability and the wisdom to utilize it. Between the Tri-Wizard tournament returning and the visions they had of one of the contestants, a constant struggle between trusting and being secretive waged on in the young kid’s mind. Many people didn't believe them - and why should they? Sila was only 12. The vision was true and ended up exactly as they had seen - Helena Rhyderrc was badly injured during the Tri-Wizard and was later sent off to St. Mungo's. Their warnings and attempts to help had failed to help prevent someone from being hurt and nearly killed. It was a very hard lesson to learn - you can’t always change the future, even if you know it. By the end of the year, something had changed. The school was infected with some ‘’thing’’ that prevented everyone from being able to use any sort of active magic. Most students, and even teachers seemed to shrug it off as a non-concern in their eyes. So they went on an ‘’adventure’’ to find the source of it, following trails of Golden frogs that eventually led to an underwater cave. From there, they discovered an important artifact - and the destruction of it finally returned the school to its former state. The story isn’t their's to tell - and to this day they still refuses to talk about it in depth. Year 2 Sila's 2nd year was a complete mess from the start. The Hufflepuff that had investigated the Golden Frog now retreated inwards for quite a while. Their only friends grew distant as they got busy with their own things, depression and isolation followed with the sleepless nights. --- One fourth-year Gryffindor stood out from the rest one night, as Upton Zero found the badger sitting in the corner of the kitchens alone with their tarot cards one night. He joined Sila in their world, rather than thinking them strange or excluding the badger. Not to mention he was the only person they ever met that would eat an onion like it was an apple. Many nights they would stay up within the middle of the night just to play board games again. As time went on he started to tutor Sila, bringing them out of their shell and helping them to gain confidence in themself. This confidence transferred over when they started Quidditch, discovering a natural talent with the sport and quickly becoming the team's Seeker for the next year and some. They caught the snitch for every game Hufflepuff played in their second year and started to become a little well known for it. Around this time word spread to very few people about how they were a Seer, and thus led a confused, worried Essa to find and confide her own fears in the badger. Taking Zyggy's advice and lessons, they helped to somewhat share what they knew to the younger Ravenclaw. This started what ended up a very awkward friendship between the two. Summer ''' Summer went by a lot better when Sila went back home with their friend Wulf rather than back to their parents. It wasn't like they were wanted back with the parents anyway - Sila's mother had replied back to a note asking for familial ties to Seers and abandoned the pre-teen entirely. Before Summer’s end, they had been invited to participate in A.R.G.H - which was essentially a group of students handpicked for their academic potential. Sila was the youngest student attending, but they enjoyed the challenge. --- Near the end of summer, rumours of a hag being seen and a man gone missing at the same time circulated around Hogsmeade. Ever curious and observant, Sila held onto that information as they headed into their third year. '''Year 3 At the start of term, the then-Hufflepuff Head of House, Norma Lapere, appointed Sila as the Quidditch Captain for that year after seeing the diligence and skill the younger badger held for the sport. They were possibly the youngest to lead the team, however, Sila started a downward spiral then of constantly working on something or another. Three elective classes, A.R.G.H studies and projects, and then Quidditch Captain was a lot to take on for the third year. Sila was often seen studying up until the very late hours of the night, into the early mornings, without any sleep. Sometimes they were tutoring with Zero, or they would be out on the Quidditch Pitch, regardless of weather permitting. More than once they came down with a cold or a cough, walked off a sprain or wound up with a new bruise. Only once did they have to go to the Wing for a somewhat more serious injury - a bludger to the back of the head, which caused quite the fall and left them with a concussion for a few days. A vision, a plea for help Shortly after the year began, another vision came through their mind, filling Sila's thoughts with more doubts and concerns. A first-year Gryffindor was in trouble, and it was urgent. A shadowed, dark being was standing over and hurting the kid, who wasn’t moving. It felt immediate, and something nagged in the back of their mind that they needed to stop it NOW. As Sila headed down at full speed to the entrance of the forest, a loud shriek was heard as a crowd there rushed and gathered around the huddled body of what looked like a young girl. Sila tried their best to rush through the crowd, shoving people aside - but the Professors wouldn’t let them help. Annoyed and frustrated Sila tried their best anyway, only to be given detention for the first time for being defiant. Rumours spread - a hag attacked the girl, a hag was seen there in the forests. In the coming weeks, more incidents relating to the Hag (or what else it might be, if not a hag) came about - sounds of people screaming for help only to find no one there. Things got pretty convoluted and their memory of it all is pretty jumbled up. Voices of close friends screaming for help, only to see no one there… Within the next few months, it was discovered that the hag was in fact not a hag at all, but rather a human being who wanted students to believe they’re a hag. But their intentions were still unclear and many possibilities clouded everyone’s mind, leaving a sinking feeling in their hearts and paranoia in the backs of their minds. Night of Nightmares As the chaos around Sila continued, they did what they could to try and distance themself from it as much as possible - until one night a voice from the staircase caught their attention, leading Sila to the DADA room. The voice belonged to a troublesome Imp - who led them all through an unknowing trap. The Night of Nightmares was coined such for the numerous nightmares that damned Imp caused for many nights after, and it was a real eye-opening night.. A purple smoke filled the air and they were put under a VERY realistic hallucination. Starting with a graveyard, then moving into an old haunted, abandoned house where they went face to face with a Boggart… then to an old, bloody asylum where they went up close to a Dementor. It was only when they tried and failed to cast a Patronus charm against the Dementor did they come to, realizing it was all just a hallucination and it wasn’t real. They were in the castle, safe for the moment. But it left Sila with something that could never fully leave them. A taste of what their boggart really was, and how powerless they felt against it. Sila's deepest fear? Being a failure to their friends and loved ones, burdening them with their problems and insecurities. Dorchester's Reign By the time February rolled around, Hogwarts was...changing much faster than before. And not in a good way. At the Hearty Party, Judy Dorchester and her Goons invaded the party… And everything was different from there on out. Dorchester was now in charge of the school, and under her ruling, everyone was forced to wear uniforms at all times. Under their reign meal times turn to gruel and only gruel. Unity ties were given out as students wanted to band together fighting off Dorchester/The Goons By this time, Sila had mostly begun to dissociate entirely, distancing themself from the world around them to try and keep themself from becoming a target. Sila was different, they had a special gift - and if they knew about it, it could be trouble. The only thing that kept them from losing themself entirely was banding together with Zero and a group of others with the beginning of the Thornberries - a group of students and unnamed Professors who dedicated themselves to sneaking in real food underneath the Goon’s noses. The next few months saw attacks from supposed Werewolves, followed by Werewolf hunters under Dorchester’s orders. "Correctional bonding” became a punishment for students disobeying Dorchester and her Goon’s orders. Of all the Goons though, Ironhand was the one that unsettled Sila the most. His obsession with fire, his eerily crazed way of speaking all sent chills down the badger's spine. He seemed deranged, or it was all a show. Both situations were bad. Something was off about him, but it took a while before a group of students put two and two together - the dark wizard aka “The shadow” was missing the same hand that Ironhand was. The discovery didn’t lead very far before at least two students if not more, went missing. Having tried to stand up for someone else against the goons among other “misbehavior”, they were locked away in a dark tower for about two weeks - Sila included. They were only fed only 1 meal of gruel per day and one goblet of water, sitting in darkness without more than the clothes on their backs and a pile of straw beneath them. When they finally emerged, Sila was quieter than ever and seemed to withdraw. Not talking much, barely participating in whatever classes there were, hiding in the background more often than not. Most of the tension from the various Professors and their shortcomings fell on deaf ears by now, as they were no longer paying close attention - and was much jumpier and easily startled than before. Sometime between February and June Deputy Headmaster Fox and the Headmistress went missing (again). Sila made no real note of it, as they always seemed to come and go at random. But in June, Dorchester told everyone Headmistress and Fox was dead at an assembly, saying she would be in control of Hogwarts from there on out. As per usual, the Headmistress appeared suddenly out of nowhere in a grand spectacle and they duelled. All glass windows of GH were shattered during the duel (again). When Dorchester was defeated, it was noticed that Ironhand had been missing - shortly after that Inferi started to be summoned everywhere. Dozens upon dozens of inferi were fought left and right until the fighting started to affect the castle and it started to fall apart. Many students were injured, only some were sent to the wing. But Sila, not being at their best or strongest, was unable to fend off a crowd of Inferi that swarmed them when they took a wrong turn trying to find the group they had been following. A falling piece of rubble from a misaimed spell hitting the crumbling-castle landed on their head and knocked them out with a serious concussion. It was with sheer luck that a Professor spotted the third year and fought off the inferi before taking the unconscious badger to the hospital wing, where they stayed and recovered physically (and as much as they knew, mentally) until it was time for exams. Sila performed merely mediocre on exams - their mind was elsewhere, their trust shattered, and the badger kept wondering what was going to happen next. Thankfully, nothing else happened and the year ended peacefully. Summer Most of the summer was spent with a friend, avoiding going back home at all costs. This was done pretty easily all things considered - their mom didn't want anything to do with Sila anyway and whenever they *were* back at home, their mom was nowhere to be seen. Year 4 Sila’s fourth year was thankfully much calmer. Overall, the most that happened was the resurgence of nightmares and what the badger thought could be visions - but without Zyggy around for the longest time, they had no one that was trusted enough to go to. A new Divination Professor named Eidolon took up the post, and Sila noticed immediately how well he knew the material, and how much he truly cared for the subject. His mentioning of Seers was talked about with respect, not disbelief, and something in them wanted to trust him. But trust was hard earned and even harder won, so Sila never did get around to opening up to him much more than a single question all year. At one point, Zyggy finally returned back to the castle and the protean’d book necklace warmed up for the first time in over a year, alerting them to a new message. In disbelief, they took it with a grain of suspicion but met her in the Divination tower just in case. What they met was not the person they once knew, and their temper flared to a point it never had before. Angry at the world, and even more angry at the seemingly uncaring person before them who had abandoned them when they needed her the most, all of the anger the badger had been building since last year came out all at once. The crystal balls around them shattered in the untamed magic and Zyggy sat there in silence as Sila lashed out at her in full force. After a moment of coming to their senses, the badger repaired all the shattered glass, used a simple wand-writing spell to apologize, and ran out of the room. Though the two continued to communicate via the journal after a few months of silence, Sila barely trusted in their once-mentor and closed up, refusing to talk much of what they were seeing or what was going on. The only true test to see if Zyggy had ‘returned’ to her normal self or not was a vague note, leading the once-Divination professor to a hidden vial that contained a preserved memory of last year’s incidents in full, albeit they were very jumbled and unclear. Putting the past behind them was difficult, but near the middle of the year, another professor named Iris Arrietty joined Eidolon in Divinations which caught the badger’s attention yet again - something about this woman seemed different than most others who had come before her. If Eidolon trusted her, then they would give the new one a chance as well. Some of the other Professor changes were something to keep an eye on - but, slowly that distrust that had become so deeply ingrained last year was starting to chip away a little at a time. Professors actually showed a true desire to help when they were struggling, they understood and accommodated when the badger was overwhelmed. Professor Dracheblume in specific was one who stood out, always so patient with the younger badger and very accommodating of any of their needs. Whether it was simple alerting them to cover their ears before she let out one of her ear-piercing whistles to get the class's attention or just someone to talk to late at night when they couldn't sleep, the Professor became someone they looked up to and respected with everything they had. The year went on and ended without any real drama or dangerous issues cropping up, which helped ease away the anxiety that had lingered over their heads for so long. Summer Over the summer, Sila received two letters by an owl - the first, inviting them back to A.R.G.H for another year with the return of Professor Linnie Gothly, the second revealing the fact that they had been chosen as a Prefect for the house of Hufflepuff. Year 5 The beginning of the year started out pretty well - Sila spent a large portion of the first month trying to figure out how to balance new prefect duties with an increased workload of classes since it is their OWL year. With the departure of their friend Zero, things got a little awkwardly quiet around the castle and their group of friends for a while. Eventually, they settled back into a new normal, choosing not to talk about it anymore. During the month after an interesting tarot reading, the badger decided to take a leap of faith and trust their closest guarded secret to Professor Eidolon and Arrietty, the two divination Professors who they watched closely last year. With a carefully worded letter to both Professors, the badger was relieved to not only be accepted but to be understood without a single inkling of hesitance or doubt from either. Around the same time, they opened up to Professor Dracheblume about their prior childhood home life, as well as their gift - and was met with a caring, patient and calm response, showing the Professor really truly believed the badger and was willing to be there whenever they needed someone. As the weeks went on through September, Sila fell into the Prefect role naturally and wound up taking it upon themself to open up for anyone who needed their help. Normally not very outspoken, the badger made it known that they were there for anyone no matter what the issue was. They routinely look out for students who seem troubled by something - anxiety, nerves, something that may be upsetting them. Whatever it is, Sila is normally there trying to help. October This was put to the test at the start of October something seemed to arrive, unsettling the air around the castle and disturbing the already-dreary weather on October 4th. Working together with the Head students and other Prefects, Sila went about finding any students who were not taking shelter in the great hall and made sure they all stayed in one place with the rest of the Professors. This turned out to be a terrible idea, in all actuality. The source of the weather changes turned out to be a banshee-like creature who stormed the great hall, screaming at everyone in its path and resisting every attempt that Professors and Students alike tried to rid it from the area. Many students crumbled under the terror from the noise itself, struggling to keep their senses about them as the screaming and threats of terror rang too deep for many. After shattering all of the windows in the Great Hall (again...) and the Professors' masterfully executed shield charms to physically protect the students, the Banshee seemed to disappear - but not without leaving a Professor (The Hufflepuff Head of House) severely injured. The banshee lifted her up into the air and then dropped her to the ground ruthlessly, screaming in her face. A few of the Prefects took the noninjured students to the Long gallery to regain their composure, only for the banshee to seemingly follow them there and continue the harassment and screaming until Deputy Headmistress O'Keeffe banished it away. To think that was all that was left would be far from the truth, as the next week and some days later trouble arose again. 'Acromantulas and the cave' A loud bang and crash coming from in front of the great hall showed that a large hole opened up below, and out came Arcomantulas - rumours say that a student was dragged down below and then dozens of students followed afterwards, attacking the magical spiders until the girl was rescued. Sila, choosing to be one of the only smart students, stayed behind OUT of the hole and helped to treat any immediate injuries when people exited. Merely a few days later the hole had not been properly covered up and Verity, along with her brother Hale, stupidly decided to go down that hole. Having not seen the girl in classes all day and remembering their talk the night before with Verity's curiosity of the hole, Sila believed the girl was down there and rushed to find help once curfew set. With Arianna's help the two were rescued, Hale the only one injured, and that's when Sila spotted the two pieces of paper. One a warning, the other a diary page. Musing out loud one day, Professor Blackwell gave Sila a note saying 'Research the Dhampir' - a half vampire, half human creature which fit the description found in the diary page. Curious. 'Blood-hungry creature attacks' Later that week and plagued by a sudden vision that came and took over far too quickly, the badger collapsed in the kitchens surrounded by first-year Talula Shippe and Fourth year Verity Ashworth, seeing nothing more than a puddle of blood and a hand falling into the blood. This happened mere moments before Aisling's screams echoed through the great hall and viaduct as the girl was ruthlessly attacked by some blood-craving creature or being, not the first nor last victims of the night. Otter Glaus and Archibald Colquhoun of Slytherin, Dottinous Foul of Ravenclaw, and Quinn Lowry , Aisling Jones and Jinyoung So of Hufflepuff all wound up victims of this thing. Having run out to the viaduct later that evening to see what had happened, not only did Sila see the puddle of blood from their vision, but there was a diary note left on top of it, too. The note was taken, the blood syphoned off, and tucked away in their trunk with the other diary note... The attacks actually left Sila and their fellow Prefect Aisling even closer friends than before. Afraid that they might have actually lost the ginger prefect forever directly after the attacks, they spent most nights in the Hospital wing with her (whether by choice or not, as she quite obviously needed real restful sleep of their own and the Matron refused to let them leave a few times) until they were finally released. Believing the badger's friends deserved to know the truth, Sila opened up about their gift of the Sight to Talula, Aisling, Marianna, Verity and Morgan - the first time in four years the teen willingly opened themselves up to questions about what the gift entailed entirely. Later on, Bryn was also told, out of necessity for the boy to learn the difference between the fear-induced paranoia and visions and why it was so important to understand. Professor Dracheblume was the first adult Sila consulted about the vision and the worries they had, after having barely slept at all the nights following the attacks on what felt like their House as a whole. The Professor accepted Sila with open arms, no doubt or hesitancy in her mind, and tried to help the teen take their mind off of it with some pumpkin carving. 'Miles and Elliot' (tba) 'Another (bloody) vision' (tba) '((December - Jan's attack' (tba) '((Whatever happened after)' (tba) 'Magical Abilities and Skills' Seer (OOC note: Only a few people know that Sila is a seer ICly. If we have not roleplayed it out, you probably don't know!) Sila is a natural born Seer, gifted with the Sight and a stronger bond with Divinations than most. Some people with the Sight speak Prophecies with which they cannot recall (such as Trelawney). Sila, on the other hand, is different. Instead of Prophecies, they get an actual Vision of some future event. Some Seers have visions so vivid, so profound that for the moment it begins, their entire focus is on nothing but the images and emotions tied to the event. Separated from mind and body, from the outside world and their inner eye. The sounds, the sights - it touches upon all senses and overwhelms their body in every way. The slightest touch can cause them to lash out, or break down instead. Such Visions are uncontrollable in their raw form, without extensive guidance from one knowledgeable in it. These visions can be of anything- though so far, the pattern has led to Sila being involved or familiar with the subject in some way, and the time being in the somewhat-near-future. Visions can also come through dreams, although without a lot of guidance they struggle to discern the difference between a normal nightmare and a prophetic one. As the years have gone on, they have become much more attuned to their gift and has come to accept it, rather than hate it or fear it. The visions are clearer now, but also more vivid. Quidditch Seeker. Sila picked up on the skill naturally with very little practice- after they learned to fly without falling. It was the only position they ever tried out for, though after trying to check out others they realised how terrible they were at trying to Chase. Sila was offered the chance to be Quidditch Captain of their house in their third year, and they stayed Captain until suddenly stepping down at the start of their fourth year. In their Fifth year, Nazir asked them to be the co-captain to which they agreed, though there was not much they had a chance to help with. After barely winning a few matches, it left the badger on the fence of whether they still wanted to participate in Quidditch next year at all. The choice was made for them as they received a letter from their Head of House in the start of their 6th year, announcing them as the Captain of the Hufflepuff team once again. Taking lessons from the past two years and the captains then, they have worked to try and put together a solid team with a few hiccups here and there. Academics While they once used to struggle with basic spells, they have grown more adept over time and now seem to love using magic whenever they can, for whatever they can. Now they have learned nonverbal magic, the desire has only become stronger and they can be seen practising every day, almost all day. They have gotten the hang of charms but they still struggle heavily with transfiguration and potions. For the most part, it seems their understanding of transfiguration stalled ever since their fourth year. They seem to be very much in tune with creatures too, although they are still somewhat afraid of the larger beasts (or beings, like centaurs) and don't do so well in those classes. There's a healthy level of respect and paranoia mixed into one. Sila has also taken it upon themselves to learn more about the medical side of magic recently and specifically is starting to focus on how to mix and match various aspects to treat mental health much more efficiently and carefully than the wizarding world currently does. This pursuit is not widely known by most people, outside of the private tutoring held by the Deputy headmistress Professor O'Keeffe. When it came time for their OWLs, they took the tests very seriously and managed to get an O on every single one of them minus Astronomy. No matter what, they could not wrap their head around the star charts or the other aspects of Astronomy despite trying their best, and barely passed it with an A. 'Possessions' 'On them at all times' * -Silver lime wood wand. 10 inches. Unicorn core.- -- Broken during the fight against the inferi in their third year. Over the summer was replaced with a new wand. * 10 1/2 inch Silver Lime wood with phoenix feather core, unyielding flexibility * A small blue book carried around their neck by some string. It's linked by a Protean charm to an identical one that Zyggy carries around her neck, and is used for the two to alert one another when something urgent happens, or when one of them needs the other. Sila's book also has a small pouch with a few scented herbs in it (lavender and mint). **Sila has refused to wear this book for the past two years and has kept it tucked away in their trunk, buried at the bottom underneath clothing and photographs, journal entries and books. * Often seen wearing a crystal around their neck. * A silver half-heart necklace that says "You're my kind of crazy". Ryder Rowan owns the other half. * A new tarot deck purchased a year ago over the summer in a small, cosy divination shop. The deck closely resembles the Prisma visions tarot deck in art and style. It is normally carried in a small, customized leather pouch and if not on their person it is always in their bag. In their bag Among the many many textbooks and divination books in specific, there's also a handful of other things. * Hand-made journal with many drawings of magical creatures, many dream diary entries, vision recollections, and scattered school notes everywhere. * A photo of a girl that looks just like them, except with long hair and a slightly chubbier frame. The date November 2020 is scribbled on the back of it with a regular pen, the name "Mickayla" underneath. * Bezoar * Various potions/empty vials * Journals (personal & school) * Tarot cards, In their trunk * A Witch hat with an oversized lantern magically attached, given to them by Vela Cygnus. It was once charmed with various spells including sound dampening charms, impervious charms, and damage resistance. Currently never worn but always kept tucked safely in their trunk. The spells that were once on it have long since worn off, though. * A cloak that was once made to be an invisibility cloak, created for their own personal use by Norma, although kept in secret. They have not told a single person about the cloak. The charm has worn off, but the cloak is kept as a memory of the crazy Professor who helped them discover themselves. * A small gleaming silver pensieve inscribed on every inch with scrolling, winding, interlaced runes and symbols. Safely locked inside a wooden, indestructible case and buried at the very bottom of their trunk. No one knows they have it. * A Mesmerizer. A beautiful, fragile-looking icicle shaped crystal phial strung on a shining gold bead chain. The ornate stopper holding the phial to the necklace is made out of rose-gold and shaped like curling vines and flowers. You can see the light reflect on it, and when it is filled with memories or other translucent liquids, it becomes a thing of visual interest. Used to aid in meditation and serve as a distraction when things get overwhelming. * A worn, well-loved set of tarot cards Zyggy gave them that was passed down from mentor to apprentice through several generations. 'Relationships' (More to come below eventually) Professors: Arianna von DracheBlume Joyce Felts-O'Rourke Carrick O'Rourke Students Ryder Rowan Their 'Boyfriend' to be technical, but regardless of labels the two of them are really close. He protects them, sometimes a little too much. They bicker, they laugh, they fight and tease each other as teenagers do. But they share a lot more underneath the surface, understanding what the other deals with when it comes to family issues or feeling excluded. They have not outright said they love one another...but time will tell where the two wind up. The first time he tried to kiss them, they panicked and reacted the only way they knew how to when someone came too close to their face....with a punch. He has since not tried to make any sort of move on them at all, but it doesn't help that Sila refused to talk to him for the past year and some after his clingy protective nature got a little TOO annoying. Aisling Rose Opal Jones Aisling and Sila got even closer in Sila's 5th year when Sila got prefect too. There was no real one thing in particular that brought them closer, aside from the attack on Aisling that made the younger badger worry endlessly. But they've grown to see the ginger like a sister, and has actually willingly hugged the girl several times. Now that Aisling is a 7th year, it seems Sila is trying to step in to fill the holes that will remain once she graduates, taking care of the Hufflepuff house for one more year. Verity Ashworth Talula Shippe Persephone Vitrac ''-- (Inactive characters) --'' Vela Cygnus - "Zyggy" was their mentor and also the Divination professor at Hogwarts. It took a little while for Sila to trust her, after losing Miller in the middle of their first year- but Zyggy proved herself to care unconditionally for the badger and was there for them through their hardest times for the first two years. From developing their ability, learning to control it, and learning to not fear all that can come from it. Sila has grown distant over the past years, due to Zyggy's constant busy nature and the fast-paced environment of Hogwarts itself. 'Rumors' 2025 - 2026 They always seem like they're on the brink of just falling asleep wherever they go, yet they're always up late talking to younger years in the commons. Insomniac much? Rumour has it some students noticed two upper year Badgers have finally rekindled their friendship after a year of the silent treatment. Wonder what will happen next? 2024 - 2025 I heard that a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin had a duel, and said Hufflepuff is upset that they got tossed. It is true that Sila, the Hufflepuff prefect during the flying lesson embraced the dear goal post, with their face first, not with their arms. Correction on the rumour about Sila hitting the goal post. Please replace ‘prefect’ with ‘Seeker’. *Shakes their head in disbelief*